Hawks win 3-0, can clinch on Thursday

Hawks win 3-0, can clinch on Thursday

The Chicago Blackhawks retained control of their first-round playoff series against the Wild even with a Game 3 loss on Sunday. But if they weren’t pleased about that effort, they figured there was one answer:

Get angry about it.

“You watch every other series and you see how tough it is on every single play, every single shift, little puck battles everywhere,” captain Jonathan Toews said earlier Tuesday. “Nothing is taken for granted. We have to have that same work ethic and same in a way hatred for that team that they had for us last game.”

The Wild certainly didn’t like the Hawks on Tuesday, nor the result. Patrick Sharp scored two goals and Bryan Bickell added one for a 3-0 win in Game 4, a 3-1 series lead and the chance to close out the series in Game 5 at the United Center on Thursday night.